996

GRADE
GRADE
Released 2006 Mathematics
Achievement Test
This document contains released items from the 2006 Grade 9 Mathematics Achievement Test.

Released test items, which contained approximately 25% of the total number of test items from
previously secured achievement tests, were mailed to school administrators each fall from 2004 to 2006
and have been made available to teachers only in print form because of copyright limitations. Every
second year, as of the fall of 2007, a complete test for all achievement test subjects and grades (except
grades 6 and 9 Social Studies; grades 3, 6, and 9 Français/French Language Arts; and Grade 9 Knowledge
and Employability courses) will be mailed to school administrators in conjunction with the assessment
highlights report for that year. In this way, teachers will receive complete forms of achievement tests.
The parts of those tests that are released in print form for which electronic copyright permission is
received will subsequently be posted on the Alberta Education website. A test blueprint and an answer
key that includes the difficulty, reporting category, language function, and item description for each test
item will also be included. These materials, along with the Program of Studies and subject bulletin,
provide information that can be used to inform instructional practice.

Assessment highlights provide information about the overall test, the test blueprints, and student
performance on the 2008 Grade 9 Mathematics Achievement Test. Also provided is commentary on student
performance at the acceptable standard and the standard of excellence on selected items from the 2008
achievement test. This information is intended for teachers and is best used in conjunction with the multi-
year and detailed school reports that are available to schools via the extranet. Assessment highlights
reports for all achievement test subjects and grades (except Grade 9 Knowledge and Employability courses)
will be posted on the Alberta Education website every year in the fall.

For further information, contact Kelly Rota Grade 6 & 9 Mathematics Examination Manager, at
Kelly.Rota@gov.ab.ca; Thomas Thompson, Grade 6 & 9 Mathematics Examiner, at
Thomas.Thompson@gov.ab.ca; or Jo-Anne Hug, Director, Achievement Testing, at Jo-
Anne.Hug@gov.ab.ca at Learner Assessment, or call (780) 427-0010. To call toll-free from outside
Edmonton, dial (780) 310-0000.

The Alberta Education Internet address is www.education.alberta.ca.

Copyright 2008, the Crown in Right of Alberta, as represented by the Minister of Education, Alberta Education,
Learner Assessment, 44 Capital Boulevard, 10044 108 Street NW, Edmonton, Alberta T5J 5E6, and its licensors.
All rights reserved.

Special permission is granted to Alberta educators only to reproduce, for educational purposes and on a non-
profit basis, parts of this document that do not contain excerpted material.
 2006 Test Blueprint and Item Descriptions

The following table provides information on 48* of the test items that appeared on the 2006 Grade 9
Mathematics Achievement Test.

Question Distribution
by Reporting Category
Knowledge Skills
Number and
Test Sections Recall facts, Apply facts, concepts,
Proportion of
(Curricular Content Areas) concepts, procedures,
Questions
procedures, and terminology, and
terminology relationships to solve
problems in a variety
of situations

Number
13 Questions
• Number Concepts 1, 2, 37, 38 11, 12, 14, 17, 19, 21,
(26% of Total Test)
• Number Operations 24, 40, NR3

Patterns and Relations

• Patterns 4, 10, 20, 26, 29, 31, 13 Questions
3, 6, 9 36, 39, NR1, NR5 (26% of Total Test)
• Variables and Equations
• Relations and Functions

Shape and Space

• Measurement 7, 8, 16, 30, 32, 33, 14 Questions
27, 28, 34, 35, 43 (28% of Total Test)
• 3-D Objects and 2-D Shapes 44, NR4, NR6
• Transformations

Statistics and Probability

8 Questions
• Data Analysis (16% of Total Test)
• Chance and Uncertainty 15, 23, 25 18, 22, 41, 42, NR2
48 Questions
Number and Proportion of 15 Questions 33 Questions
Questions (30% of Total Test) (66% of Total Test) (96% of Total Test)

*Please Note: Two items have not been released from the 2006 test.

1
 The table below provides additional information about 48 of the 50 items on the test in terms of each question.

Curricular
Diff. Reporting
Question Key Content Area Item Description
% Category
(Concept)

1 Identify the diagram that depicts the interrelationship

A 56.0 K N
of sets of numbers within the rational number system

2 Determine the power that expresses a repeated

B 75.3 K N
multiplication

3 Expand then simplify two polynomials expressions by

D 55.9 K PR
combining like terms

4 C 64.6 S PR

6 Determine the side length of a rectangle by dividing a

A 61.7 K PR
polynomial by a monomial
Determine the dimensions of a 3-D object given its
7 B 43.8 S SS volume in order to calculate the surface area of
another 3-D object

8 Determine the partial area of a 2-D shape by

D 64.8 S SS
subtracting the area of another 2-D shape

9 Model a situation that can be represented using a

D 53.2 K PR
first degree equation.

10 Determine the area of a shape that is pictorially and

A 84.1 S PR
algebraically represented

11 C 60.8 S N Use equivalent ratios to solve a capacity problem

12 Evaluate a binomial expression that contains two

B 72.9 S N
variables

14 Identify the solution to a problem using equivalent

C 55.5 S N
forms of two term ratios

15 Identify the relationship between two unknown

C 71.9 K SP
variables in a given scatter plot

16 Determine the perimeter of a 2-D shape, given the

B 50.5 S SS
circumferences of other 2-D shapes

2
 Curricular
Diff. Reporting
Question Key Content Area Item Description
% Category
(Concept)

17 Determine the value of one angle of a triangle, given

C 73.3 S N
the ratio of its angles

18 Identify the line graph that best demonstrates the

B 78.8 S SP
relationship that is presented in word form

19 Solve a multi-step problem involving discount percent

D 66.2 S N
and GST

20 Determine the value of an algebraic expression by

C 70.6 S PR
substituting another expression

21 Evaluate an algebraic expression involving numbers

B 48.6 S N
in scientific notation

22 Determine the combined probability of three

A 71.8 S SP
independent events
Identify from which group a random sample of survey
23 A 78.7 K SP respondents should be selected to ensure
representativeness
Determine a missing number, given a mean and the
24 A 67.6 S N remaining set of numbers, presented in a word
problem

25 Identify the relationship between the two variables in

D 80.7 K SP
a scatter plot
Identify the single-variable first-degree equation that
26 D 52.0 S PR represents a problem with two unknowns that is
presented in word form

27 Determine the new co-ordinates of a point on a given

C 62.1 K SS
image after the image is rotated 90°

28 Identify the scale factor represented by an image and

D 43.0 K SS
its dilatated new image

29 Identify the polynomial expression that represents

C 55.5 S PR
the perimeter of a 2-D shape

30 Determine the width of a composite shape, given

C 70.5 S SS
certain dimensions and angles of elevation
Determine the length of one side of a triangle given
31 A C S PR the value of its perimeter and algebraic
representations of the lengths of its sides
When given the perimeter of a 2-D shape, determine
32 C 53.0 S SS the dimensions of a 2-D shape that would give the
greatest possible area
Calculate the perimeter of a large rectangle that
33 D 58.1 S SS contains squares of equal size when the area of one
square is given

3
 Curricular
Diff. Reporting
Question Key Content Area Item Description
% Category
(Concept)

34 Determine an unknown angle in a right triangle, given

B 62.3 K SS
specified dimensions

35 Determine the side length of a triangle using tangent

B 64.4 K SS
ratio

36 Identify the number line that represents the solution

D 40.7 S PR
to a first degree inequality

37 C 57.6 K N Identify the number that is irrational

38 Express the product of two rational numbers in

D 62.7 K N
scientific notation
Find the value of two related unknowns in a word
39 B 63.7 S PR problem by using given information to set up and
solve a first-degree equation

40 Solve a multi-step ratio problem involving rational

B 69.4 S N
numbers

41 Identify the fraction that represents the probability of

C 79.9 S SP
a given single event

42 Determine the probability of a single event and

D 73.0 S SP
express as a fraction in simplest form

43 Determine an unknown angle, given the dimensions

A 62.4 K SS
of two sides of a right triangle

44 B 60.9 S SS Determine the surface area of a 3-D object

Determine a missing quantity, given the sum of three

NR1 6 71.1 S PR unknown numbers and word descriptions of their
relative sizes

NR2 Match equivalent representations of data presented

4123 78.1 S SP
in tabular and graphic forms

NR3 Apply exponent laws for powers with integral

8 36.9 S N
exponents in order to solve for an unknown value

NR4 Use the property of similar triangles to determine the

12.9 49.4 S SS
length of an unknown side

NR5 Identify the diagram that depicts the interrelationship

35 41.5 K N
of sets of numbers within the rational number system

NR6 853 Determine the power that expresses a repeated

51.3 K N
multiplication

4
 2006 Achievement Test

The questions presented in this document are from the previously secured 2006 Grade 9 Mathematics
Achievement Test and are representative of the questions that form these tests. These questions are
released by Alberta Education for teacher and student use.

Grade 9 Achievement Test

2006

Mathematics

5
1. Which of the following diagrams correctly represents the relationship among
integers (I), natural numbers (N), whole numbers (W), and rational numbers (Q)?

A. B.

N W I Q N I Q W

C. D.

W N I Q Q I W N

2. Which of the following expressions represents (–5)(–5)(–5)(–5)?

A. (–5)– 4
B. (–5)4
C. 5– 4
D. –54

3. The simplified form of 6(m – 2n) – (4m – 5n) is

A. 10m – 7n
B. 10m – 17n
C. 2m – 17n
D. 2m – 7n

6
 Use the following algebra-tile legend and algebra-tile model to answer question 4.

LEGEND:
Shaded is positive
=1 =x
Unshaded is negative

MODEL:

4. The solution to the equation represented by the algebra-tile model above is

A. B.

= =

C. D.

= =

7
5. Item not released.

Use the following diagram to answer question 6.

(4x) cm

Area = (24x2 + 72x) cm2

l

6. The length, l, of the rectangle shown above is

A. (6x + 18) cm
B. (20x + 68) cm
C. (6x 2 + 18x) cm
D. (24x 2 + 68x) cm

8
 Use the following information to answer question 7.

The volume of the rectangular glass box shown below is 288 cm3.

8 cm

cm
2x
2x cm

The formula used to calculate the surface area of a cylinder is:

Surface Area = 2π r 2 + 2π rh

7. What is the surface area of the cylinder inside the glass box above, to the nearest
square centimetre?

A. 528 cm2
B. 207 cm2
C. 169 cm2
D. 126 cm2

9
 Use the following diagram to answer question 8.

90 cm

0.8 m

0.8 m

2.6 m
200 cm
0.9 m 0.9 m

9.3 m

8. Rounded to the nearest tenth of a square metre, what is the area of the wall shown
above, not including the area of the windows and the door?

A. 24.2 m2
B. 22.4 m2
C. 21.7 m2
D. 20.9 m2

Numerical Response

1. In his toolbox, a construction worker has twice as many screwdrivers as wrenches,

and 5 fewer hammers than wrenches. If he has 19 tools in his toolbox, then the
number of wrenches in his toolbox is __________.

(Record your answer in the numerical-response section on the answer sheet.)

10
 Use the following information to answer question 9.

Simone works in a restaurant four hours a day for three days a week. She
earns $9.50 per hour, plus tips.

9. Which of the following expressions represents Simone’s earnings in dollars for one
week, E, where t represents the total amount of tips she earns that week?

A. E = 4(9.50 + t)
B. E = 4(9.50) + t
C. E = 12(9.50 + t)
D. E = 12(9.50) + t

Use the following information to answer question 10.

A square playground is being enlarged. One side of the original square

playground is being increased by 12 m. The other side is being increased
by 8 m.
x 12 m

Original
x playground
8m

10. If x = 10 m, then the total area of the playground when it is enlarged will be

A. 396 m2
B. 196 m2
C. 116 m2
D. 096 m2

11
11. A warm-up pool contains 96 m3 of water. Each day, 0.03 mL of chlorine is added
to the pool for every litre of water in it. Given that 1 m3 = 1 000 L, the amount of
chlorine added to the pool each day is

A. 00 002.88 mL
B. 00 030 mL
C. 02 880 mL
D. 96 000 mL

12. If x = 2 and y = 3, then 2x 4 y 3 – 9x 3 y 0 is equal to

A. 864
B. 792
C. 621
D. 424

13. Item not released.

14. Pierre’s class and Corissa’s class have the same ratio of boys to girls. Pierre’s class
has 18 boys and 12 girls. If Corissa’s class has 15 boys, then how many girls are in
Corissa’s class?

A. 06
B. 09
C. 10
D. 15

12
 Use the following information to answer numerical-response question 2.

The following charts show average temperatures for each month in four locations.
Chart 1
Month (x) Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Temperature °C (y) –4.5 –11.4 –20.5 –24.0 –25.6 –26.0 –28.3 –29.7 –28.1 –21.3 –11.4 –4.8

Chart 2
Month (x) Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Temperature °C (y) 9.8 11.4 13.0 15.4 17.2 17.8 17.3 15.2 13.5 12.2 10.2 8.5

Chart 3
Month (x) Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Temperature °C (y) –18.4 –15.4 –10 –5.5 –3 –0.1 –3 –9 –11 –16 –19 –20

Chart 4
Month (x) Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Temperature °C (y) 29 23 19 15 8 3 7 16 18 21 24 28

P. Q.
Monthly Temperatures Monthly Temperatures
y y

x x

R. S.
Monthly Temperatures Monthly Temperatures
y y

x x

13
 Numerical Response

2. Match each of the numbers of the charts on the previous page with the letter of the
graph that best represents the information in the chart.
Chart: ______ ______ ______ ______
Graph: P Q R S

(Record all four digits of your answer in the numerical-response section on the answer sheet.)

Use the following scatter plot to answer question 15.

15. The information displayed in the scatter plot could represent which of the following
relationships?

A. The distance a person runs versus the number of calories that he or she burns
B. The number of hours a person works versus the money that he or she is paid
C. The number of minutes a candle is lit versus the height of the candle
D. The distance a car travels versus the speed of the car

14
 Use the following information to answer question 16.

Packing tape is stored in a rectangular box with a clear lid, as shown below.
Top View of Box

The circumference of a circle is C = πd.

16. If the circumference of each roll of tape is 31.5 cm, then the perimeter of the clear
lid of the box, to the nearest tenth of a centimetre, is

A. 189.0 cm
B. 100.3 cm
C. 060.2 cm
D. 050.2 cm

17. If the angles of a triangle have a ratio of 1:2:6, then the measure of the largest
angle is

A. 20°
B. 40°
C. 120°
D. 140°

15
18. Tiarra earns $8.50/h at her part-time job. Which of the following graphs shows the
relationship between the number of hours that she works and the amount of money
that she earns?

A. B.
Earnings ($)

Earnings ($)
Time worked (h) Time worked (h)

C. D.
Earnings ($)

Earnings ($)

Time worked (h) Time worked (h)

19. A DVD player is advertised for 20% off the regular price of $119.99. What is the
final cost of the DVD player after 7% GST is applied?

A. $108.31
B. $106.99
C. $104.39
D. $102.71

16
 12 x + 4 y
20. If x = 2 y, then what is the value of ?
2y

A. 28
B. 24
C. 14
D. 12

21. If x = 5.0 × 10–23 and p = 2.0 × 10–56, then xp is

A. 2.5 × 1079
B. 2.5 × 1033
C. 2.5 × 10–33
D. 2.5 × 10–79

Numerical Response

(n3)4
3. If = 4 096, then n equals _____________.
(n6 )(n 2 )

(Record your answer in the numerical-response section on the answer sheet.)

17
 Use the following illustrations to answer question 22.

Spinner Coin Number cube

1
3 2

22. What is the probability on the first try of spinning a 2, of flipping a coin that lands
on heads, and of rolling a 4?

A. 1
36

B. 1
12

C. 1
6

D. 3
5

18
23. Kassidy has been hired to survey people in her town to determine if a new
swimming pool should be built. The most representative sample for Kassidy
to use for the survey is a random sample from

A. community members
B. students of the local school
C. the town’s business owners
D. members of the local diving club

Use the following information to answer question 24.

Ali plays basketball on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. She

plays basketball for 42 minutes on Monday, 32 minutes on Tuesday, and 50
minutes on Wednesday.

24. If the average number of minutes that Ali played basketball from Monday to
Thursday was 45 minutes, then how many minutes did she play basketball on
Thursday?

A. 56
B. 42
C. 41
D. 31

19
 Use the following scatter plot to answer question 25.

Data Recorded by Members of a Running Club

10
9
8
7

Distance run (km)

6
5
4
3
2
1
0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
Time (min)

25. Which of the following conclusions can be made based on the above data?

A. The farther a person runs, the faster that person is able to run.
B. The harder a person trains, the faster that person is able to run.
C. The more times a person runs, the longer the race that person can run.
D. The longer the time a person runs, the farther that person is able to run.

26. Kim and Jan scored a total of 234 points in a game. Jan scored 10 more points than
Kim. If Kim’s score is represented by x, then an equation that represents the total
points scored by Kim and Jan is

A. x − 10 = 234
B. x +10 = 234
C. 2 x − 10 = 234
D. 2 x +10 = 234

20
 Use the following diagram to answer question 27.

8
6 A
4
2 D
x
–8 –6 –4 –2 2 4 6 8
B –2 C
–4
–6
–8

27. If the triangle ABC rotates 90° clockwise around point D, then the coordinates of
C ′ will be

A. (6, –2)
B. (1, –3)
C. (–1, –3)
D. (–2, 6)

21
 Use the following information to answer question 28.

The image GHIJ has been dilatated to form the new image G'H'I'J' , as shown
on the graph below.
y

H'

H
G' G I I' x

J'

28. The scale factor of this dilatation is

A. 1
4
1
B.
5

C. 4

D. 5

22
 Use the following information to answer question 29.

A rectangle and its dimensions are shown below.

(3x2 + 2x + 5) m

29. (3x) m
The expression that represents the perimeter of the rectangle is

A. (3x 2 + 5x + 5) m
B. (6x 2 + 7x + 10) m
C. (6x 2 + 10x + 10) m
D. (12x 2 + 2x + 5) m

Use the following information to answer question 30.

Two boxes are stacked and tied together with rope. The length of the rope
from the top of the box labelled BOOKS to the top of the box labelled
PICTURES is 25 cm and forms an angle of elevation of 53°, as shown below.
20 cm
cm

25
cm
25

53° 53°
40 cm

30. What is the width, w, to the nearest centimetre, of the box labelled BOOKS?

A. 45 cm
B. 55 cm
C. 70 cm
D. 90 cm

23
 Use the following information to answer question 31.

The sides of a particular triangle measure

• (3x – 1) cm
• (x + 3) cm
• (x) cm

31. If the perimeter of the triangle is 66 cm, then the length of the shortest side of the
triangle is

A. 12.8 cm
B. 13.6 cm
C. 37.4 cm
D. 38.6 cm

32. If the perimeter of a rectangle is 32 cm, then the dimensions that would give the
greatest possible area are

A. 1 cm by 15 cm
B. 1 cm by 31 cm
C. 8 cm by 8 cm
D. 16 cm by 16 cm

24
 Use the following information to answer question 33.

Each small square below has an area of 16 cm2.

33. What is the perimeter of the entire rectangle?

A. 168 cm
B. 160 cm
C. 084 cm
D. 080 cm

Use the following diagram to answer numerical-response question 4.

A B
2.5 m

C
8.6
5.0 m

D E

Numerical Response

4. If Δ ABC and Δ EDC are similar triangles, then what is the length, to the
nearest tenth of a metre, of segment AE?

(Record your answer in the numerical-response section on the answer sheet.)

25
 Use the following information to answer question 34.

A mover places a cylindrical container on a dolly, as shown below.

0.64 m

0.5 m
θ
Dolly

34. The angle of elevation, θ, from the base of the dolly to the ground, to the nearest
tenth of a degree, is

A. 52.0°
B. 51.4°
C. 38.6°
D. 38.0°

26
 Use the following information to answer question 35.

An antenna that is perpendicular to the ground is supported by cables, as

shown below. The cables are attached to the top of the antenna and
anchored to the ground 25 m from the base of the antenna. The angle of
elevation of the cables from the ground to the top of the antenna is 67°.

Antenna

Cable Cable

67°
25 m

35. The height of the antenna, to the nearest metre, is

A. 27 m
B. 59 m
C. 64 m
D. 75 m

27
36. Which of the following number lines represents the solution to the inequality
4x – 12 > 8x + 4 when x is a rational number?

A.
–1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

B.
–1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

C.
–9 –8 –7 –6 –5 –4 –3 –2 –1 0 1

D.
–9 –8 –7 –6 –5 –4 –3 –2 –1 0 1

37. Which of the following numbers is an irrational number?

A. 51
3

B. 4–2

C. 3.142…

D. 0.523

28
38. Expressed in scientific notation, the product of 0.000 000 42 × 5 000 000 000 000 is

A. 2.1 × 10 3
B. 2.1 × 10 4
C. 2.1 × 10 5
D. 2.1 × 10 6

Use the following information to answer question 39.

A restaurant sells small sandwiches for $3 each and large sandwiches

for $5 each. Last weekend, the restaurant sold 300 sandwiches for a
total of $1 210.

39. How many small sandwiches did the restaurant sell last weekend?

A. 140
B. 145
C. 150
D. 155

Numerical Response

5. Brent is 7 years younger than Gail. In 3 years, the sum of their ages will be 83.
What is Brent’s age now?

(Record your answer in the numerical-response section on the answer sheet.)

29
40. A gas station gives its customers 5 reward points for every litre of gas that they
purchase. If gas is 75.6¢/L and the total cost of a purchase is $16.18, then the total
number of reward points that the customer will receive, to the nearest 5 points, is

A. 80
B. 105
C. 325
D. 380

41. There are 125 entry forms in a draw box. If 15 of the entry forms have Alan’s name
on them, then what is the probability that the first entry form randomly selected
from the draw box will be labelled with Alan’s name?

A. 1
15

B. 3
8

C. 3
25

D. 1
125

42. Paul has a bag of candy that contains 6 red candies, 8 blue candies, and
4 green candies. If Paul pulls out 1 candy, then the probability that the candy
will be either red or blue is

A. 1
48

B. 2
9

C. 7
24

D. 7
9

30
 Use the following information to answer question 43.

A newly planted tree is supported by a rope. The rope is attached to the tree
at a height of 0.9 m and to a peg in the ground that is 1.2 m away from the
base of the tree, as shown below.

0.9 m

1.2 m

43. Rounded to the nearest degree, the angle, θ, between the rope and the ground is

A. 37°
B. 41°
C. 49°
D. 53°

31
 Use the following information to answer question 44.

A tent has the shape of a square-based pyramid, as shown below.

m
2.4
1.6 m

44. Including the base, the surface area of the tent, to the nearest hundredth of a square
metre, is

A. 15.36 m2
B. 10.24 m2
C. 07.68 m2
D. 01.92 m2

32
 Use the following information to answer numerical-response question 6.

10 cm

16 cm

The formula for the volume of a square-based pyramid is

V = 1 (Area of base) (height).
3

Numerical Response

6. The volume, to the nearest cubic centimetre, of the square-based pyramid shown
above is __________ cm3.

(Record your answer in the numerical-response section on the answer sheet.)

You have now completed the test.

If you have time, you may wish to check your answers.

33